Solomon Electoral Commission to test ink amid fraud fears

The Electoral Commission in Solomon Islands plans to run tests to see if ink used as a marker can't be washed off by chemicals like alcohol.

This come as claims suggest some voters had used kwaso, an illegally brewed alcohol, to wash off the ink in order to cast a second vote.

But the chief electoral officer, John Babalu, says he doesn't believe this as he thinks if this did happen it would have resulted in a hike in voter numbers.

"For example, in east Honiara's constituency, which is one of the highly productive areas of this local made brew, alcohol.... the total number of registered voters was 30,000 plus, [and] actually there was even less than 8,000 [voters] who cast their votes for the whole constituency."

John Babalu says tests are expected to be completed before next year's elections.